Closing the Template Shop at Pixels & Company

Have you heard of the PC game: Civilization 5? Civilization has been one of my favorite series of games since I was an old teenager. (Before Civilization it was Populace — if you’ve been around that long and know what a rotary phone is).

I digress.

I’m a super-dork-geek for games that pair maps with town/kingdom/society management. So Civilization 5 and it’s predecessors have been my go-to games for almost two decades!

Because I live for uncharted maps!

The idea of moving my Scouts (or insert some special unit here) delights me. Finding new areas to settle (or avoid) or meeting a new civilization to trade resources, technology, or quite possibly war with entertains me. Because each new turn in the game requires a different kind of management or scenario that requires my full attention. Because it’s uncharted.

Life, to me, is just like that game.

Last year, I closed my template shop briefly and then returned shortly thereafter with the idea that I could manage both Scrapaneers and building templates on the regular.

That was my hope, my goal, my every intention.

But it wasn’t meant to be.

After a long period of soul-searching, monitoring how much time everything I do takes and what I would have to sacrifice to continue designing on a regular (like weekend time with my kids), I knew it was time to close up the template shop at Pixels & Company.

P&C0. is filled with an amazing amount of talented designers and digital enthusiasts whom I’ve come to know as friends. And while I’ll miss them dearly, I know this is absolute best decision for me right now.

While I will move a few of my favorite sets over here and offer them through my own shop, I want to turn my talent in a new direction with a focus on Scrapaneers and helping others digital scrapbook better — using templates too!

So, will templates be involved in this “new direction” thing? Darn tooting! And I can elaborate more … when the time comes of course.

But like most aspects of life, and Civilization games, change happens. It’s up to us to listen to our heart, our desires, even our fears, and let each guide us to uncharted areas on our life map. These uncharted spaces of life is where we can invent (or reinvent) and adjust (readjust) our world.

I’m glad you’re following your heart. Your templates have been my favorite go-to templates for years now and I’m glad I have a huge stash of them since they won’t be your focus anymore. Good luck to you as you follow your new direction!

While I’m sad to see you retire from design, I’m very happy to hear that you’ll be spending lots of time at Scrapaneers. I like that you are focusing your energy on what makes your heart sing. Your “job” should have opportunities to make you smile, feel challenged and also feel fulfilled.

oh no!! I am so bummed! I missed your store closing sale! My son had a horrific accident and I have been “offline” for awhile. I will miss your creative and awesome templates! I am glad to hear that you’ll be moving some of them here…that’s a blessing!!

I know you have classes and I would LOVE to take many, many more (I have taken 2), once I am able to sign up for one I’ll be doing so! Right now I am just stuck w/ way too many bills (aren’t we all, ugh!).

I really want you to know how much I appreciate you. You were THE first person I ran across when I started looking into digital scrapbooking years ago! If it weren’t for your humor, fun posts, and great templates… I honestly don’t know if I would have gotten into digital scrapbooking at all. I was a paper/traditional scrapper for years (18) before I even looked up digital scrapbooking. It was a frightening thought to me! But you made it sound so fun, so here I am. I still have so much to learn! While you “map your new horizon” I’ll be around rooting you on all the way!